Lindy makes sense when you can describe a job as a trigger and a few steps: an email arrives, a record gets updated, someone gets a reply. The harder decision is what to use for work that changes each time.
For example, a routine follow-up and an investigation into missing invoice data might both start in your inbox. They need different amounts of judgment and access. That is the distinction behind this shortlist.
Disclosure: we build TODO for AI. This article adapts our September 2026 comparison notes; it is not a hands-on test of every tool.
Why people look past Lindy
- You design the workflow first. Ad-hoc requests work, but the product is strongest when the steps are built in advance. If the steps change every time, there is less of a workflow to reuse.
- It reaches your apps, not your machines. Integrations and computer use cover the SaaS side. There is no shell on your PC, no cloud VM of your own and no repo, so build, deploy and data tooling stays out of reach.
- Credits blur the bill. Credit allowances alone do not tell you what a completed task will cost. Check the current conversion and usage rules for the plan you are considering.
- No shared board. Workflows and credits are shared across a workspace, but there is no single list of everything in flight where a colleague and an agent own the same item.
Options to compare
| Tool | Best when | Models | Open source | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notion Custom Agents | Your work already lives in Notion | Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok | No | Free |
| ClickUp Super Agents | You already run ClickUp boards | Claude, GPT, Gemini | No | Free |
| Microsoft Copilot Cowork | You live in Outlook, Teams and Office | Anthropic, OpenAI (Microsoft picks) | No | $18/mo + usage |
| Claude (Cowork) | One person delegating multi-step tasks | Anthropic only | No | $20/mo |
| ChatGPT agent mode | Everyday questions, research, light tasks | OpenAI only | No | Free |
| Manus | Research and document generation in the cloud | Vendor-selected | No | $20/mo |
| OpenClaw | Technical users who want a self-hosted agent in their chat apps | Any (your keys) | Yes, MIT | Free |
| Hermes Agent | Self-hosted agent that learns you over time | Any (your keys) | Yes, MIT | Free |
| TODO for AI | Open-ended work across your team, on your own machines | Multiple providers on paid plans | Partly | Free |
Prices are entry tiers. Agent features may require a paid plan; self-hosting can still involve model and hosting costs.
Notion and ClickUp are the closest replacements if your team already uses them: agents run on schedules and triggers inside the workspace, with real permissions. Neither has a shell or can act in your logged-in browser, and both meter AI on top of seats.
Copilot Cowork does the work inside Microsoft 365 with your existing permissions. Outside that suite its reach is thin.
Claude Cowork has real autonomy on multi-step work and runs scheduled jobs on Anthropic's servers. It is Claude-only and runs in Anthropic's sandbox, not on your machine.
ChatGPT is worth checking before adding another subscription. Its research and agent features may cover the job, but check their access to the files and accounts you need.
Manus focuses on cloud-based research and documents. Browser Operator adds access to your local Chrome; that is not the same as a shell on your machine. Check credit usage against the tasks you expect to run.
OpenClaw and Hermes Agent are the open-source, self-hosted route: any model, your hardware, reachable from WhatsApp, Telegram or Slack. You run, secure and update them yourself, and they stop when your box does.
TODO for AI is a shared task board where agents close the items. It runs on your PC, an always-on cloud VM and your real logged-in Chrome, with access to browser sessions and installed CLI tools. CLI services may still need authentication. Pick it if you hand over goals rather than pre-built workflows. Skip it if your work is a repeatable, well-defined process; Lindy fits that better.
Before you switch
- Repeatable business process: stay on Lindy.
- Already in Notion, ClickUp or Microsoft 365: use the agent that lives there.
- Want to host and maintain it yourself: OpenClaw or Hermes Agent.
- Open-ended work, several people, your own machines and browser: TODO for AI.
Full scored comparison with 21 tools and the scoring method: Lindy alternatives on todofor.ai.
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